Age 35 – 4 vaginal births

These are photos from a 35 year old woman who has had four vaginal births (the last child was born 11 years ago). The couple is trying to conceive a fifth child, so they took the photos because it helps them to determine when she is ovulating.

You can see that her os (opening to the cervix) is a slit shape, which is how the muscle resumes after having dilated during her vaginal births. Also, the diameter of her cervix is larger than of a woman’s who has never given birth.

Her average cycle is 30 to 31 days with a 14 day luteal phase. In this cycle, she ovulated on day 17. Below are a few photos of her cervix; the day number is below each photo.

I found your website because I am trying to understand my cycle more as we are trying to start a family. I’ve seen my cervix a few times while getting colposcopies (I have cervical dysplasia), and noticed the slit shape of my os. I’ve never had children before, saw the pics of the woman who has had 4 vaginal births, and thought you may be interested to know the slit shape of my os. Great website, I wish you luck in all you do.

You cannot witness ovulation from the cervix. Ovulation happens at the ovaries, inside the abdomen. I bet you could find some photos/video through google of ovulation. I know I have seen a photo series before.

This is very informative! I’d love to see some pictures of a pregnant woman’s cervix, in the end stages. I am currently 33 weeks along and am wondering what a closed cervix versus a dilating cervix looks like.

Great website. I was recently told I had LSIL w/ positive HPV. I’ve been looking for pictures and info regarding the two. I wanted to know what are the dark red areas around her OS? According to the pictures mine should look like that.

I’ve just experienced postcoital bleeding at nearly it’s worst. My gynocologist found the vaginal tear underneath my cervix and stitched it closed. Three days later, I started bleeding to where most of my time was spent on the toilet. It took a trip to the ER (via ambulance) to stop the bleeding and add more stitches. I would really like to see photos of this nature just so I (as well as other women) could see what bleeding during sexual intercourse could result in.

hey great site i can use this when it come time to have the talk with my one year one in 9 years… i have a iud the merina it was neat to see a cervics in color with an iud… you should get some pictures of cervics with cervical cancer or the hpv spots… that would be helpful for me been diganosed since june of 2008 when i was 6 months pregnant had three copos since then have another coming up in feb… well let me know and good luck on your site this is great.

Wow, what a great reference guide to women like me who even after 3 vaginal births have really not given much thought to my cervix until now, as I have had LEEP procedure (CIN III) recently and the little sketch the doc. draws prior was not very informative at all. I too would like to see images of a HPV infected or Cancerous Cervix. Thanks very much.

To Arizona,
The dark red area is a normal occurrence in older women/women who’ve had babies. The type of cells inside the cervix is different than those on the outside. In this woman, you can just see some of the inside type. Perfectly normal!

I would just like to thank you so much for all the hard work you are doing to help us women understand our bodies more. I am 25 and have never given any thought about what my cervix may look like until now since me and my husband have been TTC for 2 years. This is truly amazing site and cant wait to see more updates. Thanks!!

Hi, I wanted to ask if there was a difference in the cervix of a woman who is fertile and one who is infertile. I have a menstrual cycle every month but I don’t get the cervical mucus anymore and I don’t think I ovulate either and I am only 28 years old.

While you are having a bleed every month, you may not be ovulating – which means you are not having a full, true, “period”. Try tracking your basal body temperature for a few months, and see what pattern comes up. http://www.fertilityfriend.com is a great site to help track and interpret results. If you are not ovulating, you need to see a gyno for assessment. One thing – you need the gyno to figure out WHY you are not ovulating, not just throw medication at you to get you to ovulate!

A common cause of lack of ovulation is PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). PCOS is really a metabolic issue that just happens to affect female hormone balances, and therefore fertility. While fertility meds can “force” ovulation, it is MUCH more effective to treat the metabolic imbalance FIRST. In fact, many women who do that find that they don’t need any further medical assistance in becoming pregnant. Also, one unfortunate effect of PCOS is a higher risk of early miscarriage. That doesn’t seem to happen as often when the metabolic issue is addressed prior to conceiving.

Of course, it could be something completely different from PCOS – that’s just one example of why it’s important to treat the root issue, and not just “force” the body to “behave”.

how do you know when you are ovulating i heard it was 2 weeks after your menstrual cycle is this correct? phoos above show ovulation on day 16 and stuff i thought it only lasted for 14 days. and how is this picture being taken if that is deep inside her vagianl canal.

I was very surprised when i found your website. I am a teacher for cytology-technysians in the Netherlands and i want to recomment this site to my students. These are wonderfull pictures!! A lott of succes with your own study!!
Manita

i was wondering if you know how i can tell if i have a tilted uterus. all of the photos i have seen the cervix seems to point straight down towards the vaginal opening, and when i feel mine in self exam for CM, it faces the back wall of my vagina(the wall shared with the anus)instead of straight down. also i tend to have pain during intercourse, as if the penetration is too deep. i am curious, as i am pregnant now, and they are having a hard time seeing the baby inside of the sac, and i have heard that having a tilted uterus can make this occur. thanks.

It is amazing how the cervix in some stages is similar to the male glans,the pink colour,the shine, the softness,the shape,provided that the covers(foreskin) were not cut of as the USA still do by 32% and when the glans loose its protection it become very rough and insensitive not as Nature intended it. A rough glans can damage the cervix on top of the useless cervical exams that only benefit the greedy doctors in USA just as the genital mutilations on USA males. Nature knows what She is doing, She do all for a purpose be it the beautiful cervix or the anti-friction device on all intact males, the trees, the flowers, the endless Suns in the Universe Never in the history of the mankind would a woman submit her cervix to some device that will rip cells from inside of her cervix This and the male mutilated rough glans could damage the cervical mucosa protective walls and rub in the cancer causing virus in to it No wonder the USA have the highest cervical cancer.

Brilliant site !! Can you tell me whether female orgasm is hindered by the coil such as Mirena ?
My doctor assures me it doesn’t as the cervix doesn’t move !! He’s completely wrong,but I am looking at having the coil fitted as long as it doesn’t stop me having orgasms.
Any advice ?
Thank-you

I do now know the answer to this question. I know that women who have the Mirena coil can and do indeed have orgasms. As far as the subtle nuances of sensation, maybe some women are aware of changes after having the IUD placed…if you get one, check back here and let us know how it goes and if you notice anything